


Relief

by haldoor



Series: You're Not Alone [3]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Community: 1_million_words, Illnesses, Karaoke, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-20
Updated: 2013-02-20
Packaged: 2017-11-29 22:23:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/692159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings/Spoilers:</b> none for the show<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> Don't own 'em; make no money, and I certainly am not implying Danny will get sick<br/><b>Beta:</b> Unbeta'd<br/><b>Summary:</b> It's after the test results are in; it may feature singing<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	Relief

**Author's Note:**

  * For [witchyemerald](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=witchyemerald).



> Written as one of the challenge rewards for [](http://witchyemerald.livejournal.com/profile)[**witchyemerald**](http://witchyemerald.livejournal.com/) at [](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/profile)[**1_million_words**](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/), this is the follow-up to [Contact](http://archiveofourown.org/works/692122) and [Scared](http://archiveofourown.org/works/692138), and will make more sense if you've read those first. The prompt was _karaoke._

_Pretty, pretty please_  
 _Don't you ever, ever feel_  
 _Like you're less than_  
 _Less than perfect_

Danny watched Steve watching Kono singing. The obvious enjoyment was amazing, considering how well she was butchering the song; not that Danny was any kind of expert on Pink.

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Danny asked with a shake of his head.

Chin grinned at them and turned back to watch Kono on the stage, a slight shake of his own head.

"Who, me?" Steve asked, looking around like there was anyone else there that Danny could be referring to. He grabbed a handful of peanuts from the bowl on the table and threw a couple in his mouth, talking around them. "I'm enjoying the fact that you don't have to worry about being sick."

Danny couldn't help smiling. "Yeah, me too. Thanks again for coming with me." He indicated Kono, who was winding up her version of 'Perfect' with a slightly off-key high note. "You do know she's gonna make you sing something too, don't you?"

Steve smirked, raising his eyebrows and tossing a couple more nuts in his mouth. "Can't be any worse than you."

"Whose idea was Karaoke, anyway?" Danny scowled meaningfully in Chin's direction.

Chin gave him a shrug, then got up as Kono handed him the mic.

"You're up, cuz."

"Pink?" Danny asked Kono. "Not what I'd have expected from you."

Kono dimpled a laugh at Danny, flopping into a seat and reaching for her beer. "What sort of music d'you think I'm into, Danny?"

He shrugged, pulling a face.

Steve slapped Danny's arm firmly, holding on for a second too long before releasing it again. "Hope you've got something in mind, babe. You're gonna have to do better than Chin." He winked at Kono, turning to face where Chin had launched into a somewhat surprising song.

 _But don't tell my heart, my achy breaky heart_  
 _I just don't think he'd understand_  
 _And if you tell my heart, my achy breaky heart_  
 _He might blow up and kill this man_

Steve laughed, and then nodded appreciatively, joining in with the clapping that was now catching on around them. "He's not bad."

Danny grimaced, but secretly he had to agree. "If I didn't pick Kono would do Pink, I never, in all my guesses, would have pegged Chin for a Billy Ray Cyrus impression. This is worse than Dr. Hook."

Reluctantly, he found himself clapping along, but by the end of the song, with the encouragement of everyone around him, he was cheering for Chin just as wildly as anyone.

"I had no idea you were a closet country fan, brah," Steve said as Chin found his chair again.

Chin smiled and waggled his eyebrows inscrutably. "Your turn, McGarrett. Show us what you got."

Watching Steve's face crinkle into a worried frown, Danny grinned behind his hand. This ought to be interesting. The man couldn't be good at everything; the expression signified serious embarrassment was about to ensue.

It took a few minutes for Steve to get organized, but then his face lit up as he obviously found something in the playlist he felt comfortable with.

Danny blinked in surprise as Steve started singing a soft ballad Danny didn't recognize. He was... incredibly good, considering it wasn't a song Danny was familiar with. He had a rich, even voice – a little higher than Danny might have expected in fact – but he sang well, if with an expression of imminent danger on his face as he let his gaze wander across the bar patrons.

_I know sometimes you feel so helpless_  
 _Sometimes you feel like you can't win_  
 _Sometimes you feel so isolated_  
 _You'll never have to feel that way again_

_You are not alone  
You're not alone_

The lyrics suddenly became clear to Danny as Steve's eyes met his own. He swallowed hard, becoming conscious of the fact that they were aimed at him.

_Never thought I'd find the road to freedom_  
 _Never thought I'd see you smile again_  
 _Never thought I'd have the chance to tell you_  
 _That I will always be your friend_

_You are not alone  
You're not alone_

Steve's eyes finally moved away from holding Danny's to ransom as the words ran out and the music died away. There was a moment of almost perfect silence, and then the applause broke out. Steve smiled almost self-consciously, murmured thanks into the mic and then headed across the room to hand it to Danny.

"Your turn, babe."

Danny shook his head, flicking a glance at Chin and then at Kono as he took the mic. "I'm not sure I can top that."

"You're not getting out of it that easily, brah," Chin said, his eyebrow tilted expectantly.

"Yeah," Kono added, "If I can do it, you can do it."

Steve was back in his chair by now, and he creased his brows, shrugging helplessly as Danny gave him an imploring look. "I'm not the boss here."

Sighing, Danny gripped the mic tightly, and got to his feet. His heart was already speeding up at the thought of singing in front of so many people, though he knew his voice was okay - he was no rock star, but he could hold a tune as long as he chose something that suited his voice.

He kept glancing up as he flicked through the playlist, meeting Steve's expectant gaze each time. That didn't really help his nerves, but considering how personal Steve's song had seemed, he had to pick the right one in return.

Finally, he found one; one that in other circumstances he might never have been brave enough to attempt. He didn't have to say the words of dedication either; he was pretty sure Steve knew his aim as their eyes met and Danny began the Joe Cocker song that suited his vocal range so well.

_You are so beautiful to me_  
 _You are so beautiful to me_  
 _Can't you see_  
 _You're everything I hoped for_  
 _You're everything I need_  
 _You are so beautiful to me_

Steve's eyes never left him, and the small smile at the edge of his mouth as Danny finished the remainder of the song was the most incredible thing Danny had seen since he'd heard he might have come into contact with Hep B.

_Such joy and happiness you bring_  
 _Such joy and happiness you bring_  
 _Like a dream_  
 _A guiding light that shines in the night_  
 _Heaven's gift to me_  
 _You are so beautiful to me_

The applause was not quite at the level Steve had received, but Danny wasn't complaining as he left the stage and returned to his seat.

"Hidden under a bushel," Chin said, his eyes alight with surprise.

"Pretty impressive, Danny," Kono agreed. "I had no idea you had it in you. My turn to get the beer in."

"I'll help you," Chin offered, peeling out of his seat after her.

"Not bad," Steve said, his eyes following the cousins before tracking back to meet Danny's smile briefly. "More risky than the Eagles song I chose, but… uh… you were… good."

"Thank you. And I mean it." He was talking about more than Steve's praise, but wasn't sure he should put that into words.

"I know," Steve said, eyes downcast and his ridiculous long eyelashes batting up and down like he was trying to fight tears.

"It was a guy."

"What was?" Steve flicked a look at him, confusion darkening his own.

"The other person who had Hep B."

Steve shook his head and turned away further, rubbing his chin with a hand. "I wondered."

"It was a one-off. But... I thought you should know."

Steve picked up his empty beer bottle, shifting in his seat and fidgeting with the label. "No reason you had to tell me, though. Not now."

Danny huffed and reached forward to take the bottle out of Steve's hand. "You gonna tell me your song wasn't for me?"

Steve managed to meet his eyes briefly. "No."

"You said 'friend' but..." Danny faltered, unsure.

Steve nodded, taking a breath and finally holding Danny's eyes; his own brimming with so much promise. "Yeah, babe. All that and so much more. You wanna...?"

Danny let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and grinned at Steve at last.

"Yeah."

~//~

**Author's Note:**

> And if you don't know the Eagles' song, [go here to check it out](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8n35t_eagles-you-are-not-alone_music#.USSBJB1_GMU). I'm assuming most people already know the Joe Cocker song, but in case I'm wrong, [go here for it!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqMcvVobdb0)


End file.
